


The Curse of Living

by StormyAntarean



Category: Mad Father
Genre: But also a train wreck, Canon-Typical Violence, Dio is a badass, F/M, Ghost Hunting, Murder, Other, Regret, So is Aya, yet i regret nothing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 04:41:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15789165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormyAntarean/pseuds/StormyAntarean
Summary: It had been ten years to the day the incident had happened. Ten years... Gone in a blink of the eye. He thought the burning of the Drevis mansion would solve everything. That it would give everyone involved a new chance at life. Oh how wrong he was...





	The Curse of Living

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work... At least, one I ever posted online! I will be happy to receive feedback, good or bad! Mind you that I did write this in the IPad notes app (I know... I'm dumb). So if you spot any spelling errors please bring them my way! I will be happy to fix them up!

A young man was traversing the cobblestone stone street. His oddly messy yet well-contained blonde hair fluttered in the breeze as a single chocolate brown eye darted back and forth, not willing to risk a runaway carriage. Alabaster skin like that of clean linens covered his body, smooth and unmarred like a marble statue. His rich attire gave him a deceptively posh look about him. He adjusted his hat towards a group of ladies, letting them pass by with a gentlemanly bow as he lowered his face from view. The girls giggled at such manners, blushing before running away. It may have been a bit over dramatic but he had hid his face for a reason, he didn't want them to see the mask covering it. Normally, the sight of such an unnerving thing scared most people, with half the face of an elegant angel and half an artificial beauty, it was easy to see why. His prosthetic face just looked wrong, more like a mannequin than an actual face. Either way, it was still better than the alternative. Letting them see his real face...

So he just continued without battling an eyelash, flourishing his cloak aside and sighing in the cool morning air. It was rather cold for a late-spring's morn, cool enough to let his breath condensate and hang like a cloud. No matter, he had work to do, he could ignore the cold. Swiftly without any delay, he marched towards the local library and opened the main doors, letting himself in. The first thing he noticed was the librarian, mumbling to herself as she managed some paperwork. He removed his hat and bowed a little. "Good morning Miss," he greeted.

"O-oh, Good Morning dear sir, how are you on this fine day?" The lady adjusted her glasses suddenly, looking up from her work to smile at the man. She was a discrete, small woman with soulful eyes and auburn brown hair tied up in a bun, her dress betraying her lower class status. She was kind, sweet, but took her job VERY seriously, to the point that if she spotted anyone damaging her books she very well would flog them. Even so, she seemed to be on good terms with the young man, going as far to recommend a few titles every time he entered and inquiring upon his business. 

"I am well, simply looking for some information on a particular establishment," he waved at her gingerly before moving closer to her desk, doing his best to hide the right side of his face. 

"What place might you be referring to?" She asked, genuinely concerned. 

His hawk-like eye narrowed, his brow furrowed as if this information alone was enough to set him on edge. "Do you happen to know of the Vaanis residence?" 

She blinked. "Of course, Mr. Vaanis is a common visitor to this library."

The dark look in his eye deepened before suddenly melting away into the gentle smile he was known for. He began, "I know such information is not privy to the questioning stranger, but could you give me any knowledge regarding Wilhelm Vaanis's current behavior?"

The woman's brow rose, leaning back in her seat. "May I ask why you are inquiring so?"

The blonde-haired man adjusted his suit, draping his cloak on the same arm that held his hat. "I have reason to believe that Mr. Vaanis may be in trouble..." 

Her eyes widened, "Excuse me, I don't mean to pry, but are you an investigator, Mr. Schatten?"

His eye narrowed once more. "In a sense, call me a private investigator."

\------

He knew who the Vaanis's were. He merely needed the extra information to confirm his suspicions. It wasn't in his nature to pry on others unless he had found reason to do so. 

W-well, he has been coming here for more medical texts, most with regards to human anatomy...

And his behavior?

Erratic. Whenever I would speak to him he would jump and look about, as if he was waiting for someone to attack him. It was odd at first but this soon became regular habit as he did this almost every day.

Anything else?

... 

He arrived here yesterday with blood on his shirt collar.

He stood at the edge of the property, staring at the vacant windows. The man grimaced, feeling that familiar sense of wrongness he had felt ten years ago at the Drevis mansion. The right side of his face burned with a stinging phantom pain, forcing him to adjust the mask in front of it. Even though there was nothing in the empty socket of his ruined right eye, he could still remember the agony. It marked him beyond repair, not just physically, but mentally as well. 

With a sharp, irritated hiss, he tossed his cloak behind him, grasping at a long, thin knife hidden at the side of his suit. He slid the weapon and its sheathe into his right sleeve, hiding it in a specially-made strap to hold the weapon tightly to his arm while under his thick clothes. The situation here could become exceedingly dangerous, there was no reason for him not to be prepared. 

Briskly, the blonde-haired man marched towards the gate, pushing it aside to approach the front door. His gloved hand rapped on the crimson wood, patiently standing aside for an answer. While waiting, he noticed the sun disappearing at the horizon, the fading warm colors of day melting in a sea of black. Just as he tilted his gaze to the stars, the door suddenly jerked backward, revealing a wide blue eye in the darkness of the home. The man instantly shifted gears, generating a quaint smile from his lips and removing his hat as he bowed. "Good Evening, dear sir. My name is Dio Schatten and I am here with regards to-" he was cut off as the door slammed shut. He blinked, finding this awfully rude. His gentle eye morphed into an intense glare only to be broken by the harsh sounds of locks being moved. He had just set his hat back upon his head as the sounds ceased.

Suddenly, the door slammed open and a feminine figure bolted from the shadows, embracing the man. He was shocked to say the very least, with all his power needed not to suddenly jerk his hand forward and bring out his sharpened weapon. "Thank God!" The woman replied, a mat of dirty brown hair following her abrupt movement. 

"Ex-excuse me?!" Dio called out in alarm, his arms wide open and refusing to touch the woman out of conviction. 

"Oh, dear sir, thank you for arriving so soon! My- my husband... Something is wrong..." She paused, turning her head up towards the man with hope in her pale blue eyes. They were bloodshot and haggard, with large, unsightly bags hanging below them as her cheek bones shone through her cool skin. She almost looked as if she was dead, if it were not for the warmth emanating from her breath and core. 

Dio grasped the woman's shoulders and pulled away to speak to her at a comfortable distance. "Excuse me, madam, 'wrong'? What's the matter with Mr. Vaanis?"

She adjusted her skirts with a gulp before beginning. "M-my husband, he's been acting oddly lately, as if somebody was constantly watching him. I've checked everywhere and nothing seems out of order so when I suddenly saw him lock himself up in the main study I was rather worried. When I opened the door with a spare key, he just... He just... Oh! He lunged at me!" She cried, covering her face with her bruised hands. Now that the man had a chance to look at her, he did notice the hand marks around her throat, violet marring her perfect skin.

"I... I see...please, continue..." He pulled the woman's head up with a single finger to her chin. He pulled out a handkerchief from his coat pocket and offered it to her, which she gladly accepted. She dabbed her eyes, glancing behind her every so often as if she expected her husband to charge from the shadows. But nothing came. Dio was becoming impatient. "Please, m'lady! You must tell me what happened!"

"R-right. He started to... To hurt me, choking me.... He wouldn't stop screaming about 'the eyes' and how they were... W-watching him. Then as fast as he appeared, he disappeared into the study again, closing the doors. My poor Wilhelm... I'm scared." She wrung her hands through the handkerchief so roughly her knuckles were white.

The blonde-haired man nodded, glancing towards the darkness. "Alright, that's all I need... And, about your condition?" He gestured to her thin, ragged form. 

She blinked and shook her head. "Wilhelm was fired from his last job weeks ago. Money is scarce and we haven't any to feed ourselves..."

Dio sighed, removing his hat and running a hand through his hair, staring at the stars. 

What a shit-show...

"Right," he began sharply, jolting the woman out of her thoughts. He pulled out a match. "We can address that at a later date. For now, I must ask, do you have a lamp I can use?" 

Mrs. Vaanis blinked before disappearing into the house for a second, bringing out a three-pronged candelabra. "Will this do?"

"Indeed, thank you," he grasped the cold metal in his hands, striking the match and lighting the three candles. Now that she could see him under the light, she noticed the shadows of a disfiguring scar underneath the false mask covering up most of the right side of his face.

W-was this man... burned by something?

Before she could even speak, however, the man shouldered past her, entering the dark sanctum. His single hazel eye glittered fiercely in the light, scanning the foyer for any signs of danger. The rundown staircase loomed silently, a quaint, dusty chandelier perched above as dead as the stuffed pheasant poised upon a pedestal in the side living area. Nothing, not even the shadows themselves betrayed any hostility. But he could hear something. Something quiet. Weeping. Someone was crying somewhere in this house. Dio turned towards Mrs. Vaanis. She stared apprehensively at the door to his left. His smooth, calm voice cut through the silence. "I will investigate further. Please, m'lady, you must give me direction in this home of yours..."

She was terrified at first, staring at him as if the man was insane. Yet when she pulled her gaze from his outstretched hand she saw his face give her a gentle look, a look that told her that everything would be alright. That this man would keep her safe from whatever horrors laid ahead. So with a grimace and a nod, she pulled at her skirts and led the way inside. The sobs only got louder as they entered through the left door and into the dining room. The table and silverware laid dusty, unused for quite some time. The crimson drapes were closed shut, not a single ray of starlight entering the hall to fill the cold room with a welcoming light. It reminded him of the Drevis manor ten years ago.

Yes, the cold, dead halls and their apathy towards the suffering occurring within them. Spirits and tortured souls clawing and scratching at the paper, grinding their nails deep into the flesh of a once innocent home, innocent until HE came. The monster that hid behind a thin smile and spectacles, his sterile-smelling lab coat and the blood-soaked gloves. The scalpel. Knife. Acid. Fire. Syringe. Pain. Screaming. Gasping. Clawing.... Then death. It was rotten. Appalling. Yet no one did anything to stop him. Not even Dio himself made an attempt on his life... not until she reawakened.

Thoughts swirled around his head, threatening to consume him. In the process, he found himself holding the candelabra in a death grip, as if he was trying to choke the life out of the non-living object. It shook in his grasp, the sudden flickering of light snapping the man back into focus. Mrs. Vaanis glanced at him worryingly, yet she was too frightened to speak from the death-glare painted on his soft features. The crying was louder now, at this point its strangled tenor sounding more like wails than simple sobs. The woman gestured to the ornate double doors in front of them, not stepping within four meters of their presence. He understood immediately. This was the study room she had mentioned earlier, the place Wilhelm had locked himself up. Dio glanced down at the space between the doors and the floor, noticing the harsh orange glare of an active blaze. The fireplace was alive. He silently signaled the woman to wait outside, unwilling to risk possible harm to this innocent lady. With not a single word spoken between the two, she gestured 'good luck' and slipped into the darkness. Once he heard her footsteps fade in the distance, he set the candelabra atop an end table a few meters from the door, resting his cloak on a dining chair along with his hat. He loosened his suit and tie, already preparing for a fight. With a flick of his wrist, the knife slid out from its sanctum in his sleeve, flicking out the blade as its chilled steel glittered in the candle light. With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his blonde hair and opened the door. 

With a staggered creak, the oak doors moved aside, revealing the inner study. Books lined the walls in seemingly endless shelves, a rainbow of spines decorating the otherwise drab room. The only other place to note was the sitting area, two fine velvet couches and an arm chair positioned around a roaring fireplace, a vaguely English look around its frame. The crying had stopped. Wilhelm was nowhere to be found. He recognized a place like this once, back when he was a servant as a child.

xxxxxxxx

His fingers grazed the volumes, the engraved surfaces revealing a whole slew of titles to explore. He should have been dusting, as was his duty, but the boy couldn't help it. He had no name, no family to return to. After his mother had died in childbirth, his father had abandoned him to the streets, leaving him to rot. But instead of dying, he fought tooth and nail to survive. He even managed to conquer his illiteracy way younger than most children in his position did, giving him a distinct advantage. Even despite his talents, he still couldn't move past the tenement housing of the inner city. So when he was invited to become a servant to a local wealthy family, he took the offer in stride. This was his chance to make a mark, to rise above his unfortunate circumstances. So he did his duties, despite the unnerving nature of the lord of the mansion. That was, until he saw the tomes before him. 

Little did the blonde-haired boy know that a pair of eyes had been passing by the main hall, gazing past him with a serene curiosity. The beautiful boy with no name captured this person's heart, even though she knew so little of him. She would have to rectify that. So, with her resolve in mind, the lady of the house stepped away from the main hall to smile at the boy's back. Just as he slid out an emerald book to read the title, the woman spoke.

"Excuse me, servant boy."

The boy nearly leapt five meters in the air, almost dropping the book in the process. "M-m'lady?! Forgive me, I became distracted..." He turned and promptly bowed shamefully, red flushing his cheeks. The lady smiled. She strode over to the boy, pulling at her sapphire skirts to kneel down to his level.

A motherly expression filled her visage. "Do not fret, little robin, I am not angry with you in any way. Please, stop bowing so I can gaze upon your face."

The boy gulped and rose to full height, finally seeing the woman for the first time. In the weeks he had been here, he had only ever heard her voice or saw paintings of her, so when his chocolate brown eyes gazed upon her, he was taken aback. She was even more beautiful than the paintings, with her caramel brown hair and dusty blue eyes, marked with soft features of a loving mother that were foreign to him. Her thin frame and pale white skin revealed her high-class even if her elegant white and blue dress did not, yet she never seemed to have the imperious nature that most nobles had. In a word: she was mesmerizing. Her soft voice broke past his thoughts. "Ah, so that's how you appear, little robin. Your face is like a gift from God, such a shame to see a face like that on the streets. I'm so happy to see you join our family!" She smiled, resting a hand on his thin shoulder. She gasped. "Oh my, has anyone fed you yet? You're but skin and bones! Come, take a break from your duties and join me in the dining hall for some lunch!"

As she stood up and released the book from his grasp, he finally found his words. "B-but m'lady, is that truly necessary? I have only just begun my duties here..."

She turned from the shelf with a brow raised. "But of course! Everyone deserves a well-cooked meal, and with a curious young mind such as yours you need the protein! I do not like dining alone and I'm afraid my husband is busy and my daughter is playing outside with her pet rabbit. So please, won't you take a moment to keep me company, little robin? I should request the others join us as well," she turned as if to address some other unseen servants.

The nameless boy glanced at the work to be done, to the books, to the woman. He was hungry, although he hated to admit it. He closed his eyes with a sigh, adjusting his shirt collar and straps before smiling. "Of course, m'lady."

The woman's happy expression only deepened. She gingerly took his hand into her own as a mother would with her child, leading him out of the room.

"Please, call me Mrs. Drevis."

xxxxxx

Dio's mind flashed back to the present, realizing he was now standing in the middle of the room. What the hell was he doing spacing out like that!? He hissed in frustration, adjusting his tie with a huff before turning to face the entrance. Someone was waiting for him. The disheveled form of a man breathed heavily, hunched over and drooling like an animal. His greying hair was ragged, dripping with sweat and blood as his face was marked with deep cuts, eyes swollen shut. Only a quick glance to the man's hands would show he made the cuts himself, blood oozing and drying on the tips of the mangled nails. His suit and dress shirt had holes in them, eaten by moths and age, to the point the attire appeared as if it belonged to the undead. Dio stepped back in shock, not even registering how he came to be at the doorway. He mustered up his bravery, this is not the first time he had been met with the unknown.

"Mr. Vaanis! Sir? I am here to bring you to your senses. Please, just calm down and let us talk about this as civilized men," he called out, hiding the knife behind his back. He was pretty sure the deranged man saw it, but just removing it from view could improve this uncertain situation.

"The... eyes... They're....stop..." His rotting yellow teeth could be seen between chapped lips as he spoke, his voice a hoarse whisper.

Dio rose in his stance, confusion coloring his face. "Excuse me?" 

Wilhelm's arms went limp, hanging over him like a puppet as his face met the floor. "The....stare...me...make.....stop" his words were now barely audible.

A single brown eye narrowed. "Sir, you must speak up," the blonde-haired man boomed, blade held at an angle. He was becoming awfully irritated, especially since he already knew what was going on, he just needed proof from this crazed man's mouth.

The room was silent, only the crackling of the warm fire cutting through the dead air. The light flickered, casting ghostly shadows upon both Dio and Mr. Vaanis's faces, making Dio in particular appear demonic under his pale mask. "The eyes..." Wilhelm stood up as straight as a rod, his swollen eye lids opening to reveal bloodshot green eyes. The sclera were bloody red. "The staring... MAKE IT GO AWAY!!!!" the bizarre man lunged, foaming at the mouth. 

"Damn it," the blonde man breathed, getting into a battle stance. Just as the man went to reach for his throat, Dio snatched one of his arms and turned opposite to him, using the man's running as appropriate momentum to fling the larger man over his shoulder. One of the man's nails scored alongside his neck, drawing a thin line of blood as a single eye narrowed. He clutched at the wound with a curse, whipping around in time to see the man already on his feet, attempting to grab at him again. This time Dio ducked underneath the hands, launching a fist directly into the attacker's solar-plexus, being rewarded with a hardy gasp. The blonde man leaned all his weight into the arm and used his position to push him away into a shelf. Wlihelm's roars cut off when his back hit the wall, the hard wood punching against his head and spine. The man's body sank to the floor, head slumped to the side. 

Dio gasped, breathing rather heavily from this encounter. He slid the knife back into his sleeve, adjusting his suit with a dignified glare. The man pulled his left hand from his side and examined it, seeing the blood from his neck shining like oil slick in the firelight. He knew then that his shirt was certainly ruined. He was glad he didn't have to use the knife, especially in this case. His laundry would certainly suffer however. Just as he removed his suit to obtain a vial of clear liquid, Wilhelm's hand twitched. He had not seen this, nor the fallen man's hand clutch at the scuffed floor boards. Dio ran a hand through his hair. "Ugh, this is such a mess... Hopefully this will stop the infection from spreading..." He dabbed some of the liquid onto his cut with a grimace, turning to give Wilhelm the dose before jumping back.

The man was on his feet. This time, his eyes were completely dark and a twisted grin settled upon his face. "Thank you, sir..." A voice not entirely his own hissed. The man(?) lunged for him again, reaching out to scratch at his eye. Dio dodged the attack and whipped around, hearing something wooden hit the ground. His mask. Self-consciously, he put a hand to his mangled flesh, feeling the jigsaw of grooves and scars pull at his fingertips. He spat in a controlled rage, not fond of anyone removing the mask. The attacking man suddenly cackled, arching his back in a twisted, unnatural pose as he laughed. "So!" The creature began, pointing at the hanging tendons and flesh in the empty eye socket staring back at him. "Is that your true face, 'Mr. Shadow'?" 

Dio snarled in response. "Foul creature, how do you know my name?"

"Oh, we ALL know about you! The man that hides in shadow during the day, only to come out at night to vanquish the undead," The possessed man mocked with a sneer. "A man with a mangled, cursed face touched upon by a lunatic that slew hundreds, a lunatic to be vanquished by his own folly!"

The blonde-haired man simply glared, whipping out the knife once more. He wanted to change the subject and fast. "How long have you been torturing this man?" 

"Let me answer that question with another question, how long has it been since you first masturbated?" The cursed man sat in an armchair, smiling at the hostile man with pleasure.

"You repulsive creature... Its obvious you killed this man long ago... You simply reanimated his corpse a few months ago..." Dio stood up straight, obviously not intimidated in the slightest. 

The creature raised a brow. "Oh? And how would you know that?"

The half-angelic looking man sighed, removing his hand from his face, letting the scars be fully seen. His gaze was lowered to the cuffs of his shirt. He began to roll them up his arm casually. "Because I had a little chat with Mr. Vaanis's co-workers a couple of weeks back, told me that he had met with an unfortunate accident regarding a few runaway horses. They were told that there was no possible way he should have survived... yet..." He paused to look up and give the demon a deadly stare. "There he was, a few weeks later, as if nothing happened. Rather suspicious, don't you think?"

The monster rolled his eyes, resting two fingers on his temple. "So what? What point are you trying to make?"

"Well, Wilhelm Vaanis was fired due to his unsavory smell, a smell described like that as a corpse. You staged that accident, you murdered him to take his body!" The man roared, clinching his fists. 

"Fuhuhu, yes, yes, I did all of that... Now what are you going to do?" The monster smiled wide, revealing jagged teeth. Dio met with monsters like this in the past, so he knew exactly what to do next.

"Kill you," he said simply, with a disinterested stare. The possessed man rose from his seat in outrage at this.

"You dare think that a mere monkey like you could defeat ME?!" 

"Yes, actually, I can. It's obvious that you were too weak to wrench the body away from the soul of a man who barely had any backbone for at least a month..." He paused, knowing what he said was false. "The only reason you gained control in the first place was because he was knocked out..." Dio smirked, resting his left hand on his hip as he waved his knife at the beast lazily. He was shooting in the dark, but if he knew anything about creatures like him, the best place to strike is their ego.

He had apparently hit the mark because the demon suddenly howled with rage and charged, hands outstretched to tear. The blonde narrowed his eye, using the beast's blind rage to duck and slide underneath his legs, rolling over to his coat on the opposite armrest. The monster slammed into the bookcase, hissing and spitting as he whipped around to face his enemy. As he did he noticed that the man had picked up another vial with the same clear liquid, as the last one had shattered upon the floor with his attack earlier. Dio popped the cork and spilled the contents onto the knife, setting the bottle aside as he held the weapon in an attack stance. 

He's planning something... 

With a guarded stance of his own, the possessed man lurched forward, darting this way and that to get an opening on the young man. But Dio was on top of him, dodging and weaving between attacks, trying to get at least one good strike in, sacrificing his shirt sleeves in the process. Little by little, more and more cuts were beginning to form on his arms, more blood to add to the already ruined cloth. It didn't matter, this was his chance. Just as the attacker set one foot further in than his other, the blonde lashed out with his own, kicking the man in the pressure point of his knee. With a sudden gasp of pain, the demon fell to his knees, giving his opponent ample time to land the final blow. "Go to hell!" Dio roared and drove the knife into the creature's heart. 

The beast's screams turned into sharp wails, a screech that was not of this world as it buckled to the ground, clutching its chest. "D-Damn you!! I was so close! That foul divine water!" A black liquid was seeping out of Wilhelm's mouth, coating the floor in a slick film. Even Dio stepped back, snatching his mask before it could be touched by the sickly fluid. He applied the prosthetic just as he heard a woman's hurried footsteps. The creature made one last god-awful howl before Wilhelm's body collapsed, void of all movement. The blonde adjusted his shirt sleeves and donned his coat, hiding his knife in his side pocket.

"Oh my God... WILHELM!" Mrs. Vaanis shrieked, moving towards the study in hurried steps. Dio raised a hand.

"Don't. I don't know if he's clean yet. Just stay there and wait." He instructed gently, smiling at the woman.

"B-but... What... What happened..." She reached out a hand as if to grasp him in spirit.

Dio promptly turned and marched towards the man's body, noting that the black liquid had evaporated. He knelt down towards the body and felt for a pulse. Nothing. Without the demon's influence, Wilhelm Vaanis truly was and forever would be, dea-

A cough. A brown eye blinked. Another cough. Hacking, wheezing. The blonde immediately went to work propping him up by his shoulders, resting the man against a bookcase as he coughed and wheezed. The hole in his chest was beginning to dry around the edges, the tips of flesh turning to dust as the rest of his body began to follow. "T-thank you, dear sir... I thought... That my poor wife..." He began between breaths. Dio smiled, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"You did great. You must have had a strong spirit to hold back such a creature for so long..." The blonde lowered his head, moving aside to let the overjoyed woman hug her husband. 

"My love!" She kissed his cheek, holding him tight in her grasp. Her sobs were soothed by a gentle hand caressing her back. 

"Emma, I missed you so much. I'm so sorry for making you worry..." His eyes glistened with unshed tears, watching as his hand slowly began to crack into pieces. 

Mrs. Vaanis merely shook her head, gasping into his shoulder even as she felt it shatter in her grasp. "No, no no no... You're fine. I knew something was wrong after the crash, i knew it. You were fighting it. You fought so long... I'm just sorry I couldn't help..."

Wilhelm pulled her away, grasping her chin with a thumb. The tears were free to flow. "Emma... I must go now..." Half of the man's chest disappeared into dust. 

"W-Wilhelm?!" She gasped, attempting to hold his free hand together even as it collapsed into itself. She had just noticed him crumbling to dust. "Why?"

The fading man beamed, still holding her cheek with his remaining hand. "I should have gone a long time ago... I'm not even supposed to be here at all..."

Dio just stepped away, letting the two spend the last of their time alone. The blonde knew he wasn't meant to be in moments like these, he would be a burden. So instead, he cleaned himself up and remained in his little corner, staring at a couple of books across the fireplace solemnly.

"W-Wilhelm... Don't... Don't leave me... I cannot bear to be alone..." She sobbed, crying into his tattered coat. "Don't leave!" She wailed. 

The man was almost completely gone. With what little strength he had, he pushed her head with his palm towards his face, leaning forward to kiss her lips. "I love you..." 

"WILHELM!" She shrieked just when his body completely crumbled into dust, drifting in the air before flying up to the fireplace. She clutched at his remaining clothes, tears staining her face as her cries filled the air. Dio finally turned to see her on the ground, hugging her dead husband's clothing and rocking back and forth. The man sighed and walked over to her, kneeling down to rest a hand on his knee.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered.

The woman shook her head. "N-no." She rose her chin with what dignity she had left. "For the first time in three years, I saw Wilhelm give me a genuine smile. His spirit was at peace. I only hope God will welcome him with open arms..."

"I know He will..."

\--------

Dawn broke, light of a new day filling the sky. Robins sang joyfully in the crisp air, giving an ambience of peace. A red door opened, followed by a blonde-haired man in a cloak and a ragged woman. "Thanks again..." Emma Vaanis whispered, giving him a curtsy. 

Dio beamed, still holding his hat with his left arm. The woman reached out and accepted a handshake from the gentleman, a peaceful expression on her face. "Of course, will you be alright?" 

She promptly nodded. "Yes. My heart may be clouded by sadness, but my soul is firm. I will survive this."

His single eye glittered in admiration towards the fearless woman, her determination reminding him of somebody else he once knew. 

xxxxxxx

Goodbye Aya, may you be smiled upon...

xxxxxx

A single flinch. Emma handed the young man a leather knapsack, a heavy one at that. There was something in it. He gave her a confused expression as to ask her if he could look, to which she nodded. Just as he pulled away the main flap she explained, "I saw you looking so I figured you could take a few. I cannot read well anyways, I am going to send most of the other texts to the library..." He spotted at least five large volumes, each facing him spine up in a variety of colors. He smiled and shook his head.

"That wasn't necessary..."

"It's the least i can do, for saving my husband..." She shrugged, glancing up at the young man.

He was about to retort, but something in his heart told him not to. "Right. Good luck, Mrs. Vaanis" he said finally, bowing before turning to face the gate. The bandages wrapped around his neck and arms tugged uncomfortably, forcing him to arch his neck back and pull his hands towards his chest as he pushed the gate aside and donned his hat. Having already called a carriage to their location, he merely waved at the woman back at the house, smiling quietly as he made his way to the corner of the street to board. The driver tipped his head as Dio approached, a quaint greeting. He raised a hand in turn, opening the door and stepping up inside. 

"Where to sir?" The man called from up front, pulling back a curtain to face the man behind him. As the blonde got himself settled, he lightly smiled and handed him a map with a location marked. The carriage driver took the map and opened it, glancing at the markings before jolting back. "S-sir!" He stuttered, turning back to see the man in the back fold his cloak in his lap and look up serenely. "This is... At least fifty kilometers from here... That's gonna cost you quite a bit..."

Dio sat back and waved him off. "It's not a problem, driver. I have all the money available to pay you. Please go to the desired location..." The driver blinked, turning and muttering something under his breath as he ordered the horses to move. The blonde sighed when the curtain finally closed, for once having some well-deserved alone time. He removed both his hat and mask, setting them on the seat next to him. A chocolate brown eye followed the worn woman hanging behind in the background, her face concealed by the growing sunrise but still very much visible. Her hands were neatly folded in front of her, an air of dignity despite her situation. His gaze followed her until the carriage disappeared behind a building, a closure to their interaction. He sighed, resting the back of his head against the wood behind him, staring at the ceiling. There was nothing more he could do.

\--------

Emma Vaanis held her breath, watching the mysterious man disappear as abruptly as he had appeared. When the carriage was out of view, she finally let go a massive sigh, letting her tears stream silently from her face. What was she to do? With her husband dead and nothing left in the Vaanis name, she would have no choice but to sell their house and be forced back into hard labor.  
"Wilhelm... Give me strength..." She whispered, clasping her hands together and bringing them to her lips.

Emma turned from the warmth of day to enter the now cold and desolate house, her small heels echoing on the barren wooden floor. She held her arms, shivering in the lifeless tomb as she made her way to the study, the only room on the first floor that had a fireplace. She also supposed that she wanted to be closer to Wilhelm, being the place he met his end. When her hand met the doorframe, she spotted something sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace. How could she have missed that sitting there? She strode towards the object, finally seeing what it was: a redwood box, marked with a "V". She blinked, gingerly reaching over to grasp the box's sides as she made her way to the armchair. Setting herself down neatly, she pulled at the metal latch on front, opening the lid. At first her eyes couldn't register what she was seeing, blinking uselessly at the contents before suddenly bursting into tears. Inside was at least eight thousand marks, enough to buy her a new home and food.

"Thank you... Thank you..." She whispered, a hand cupping her mouth as tears streamed down her face.

Hope at last.


End file.
